Mummascribbles meets…Little Pickle’s Mom

This week we meet the lovely Holly from Little Pickle's Mom. Thanks so much for taking part Holly 🙂

Tell me a little bit about yourself and your family
Hello! I’m Holly from Little Pickle’s Mom, married to LPD (Little Pickle’s Dad, or Jim as he’s more commonly known!) and we are the very proud parents of our little 10 month old baby boy, Pickle. Obviously, Pickle isn’t his real name but I’ve been careful not to share his name as best I can in an effort to feel like even though I’m plastering his beautiful face all over the internet, there’s some aspect of him that’s private. Although, if you watch my Instagram Stories, it occasionally slips out!

We live in Worcestershire, just south of Birmingham in the town I grew up in as a child and swore I’d never live in as an adult. Funny how life changes, eh? LPD and I met in the pub where I worked at the time and he was the most beautiful, mysterious man I’d ever laid eyes on! I don’t believe in love at first sight but he was definitely the only man I’ve ever fancied straight away. We were married exactly seven years after our first date, and I genuinely can’t imagine life without him.

What do you like doing to be you, when you are not parenting, working (if you do), or blogging?
I recently made the decision to not return to work after my maternity leave ends. It’s a bit scary and I’m still not sure how our bank balances will fare a few months down the line, but for now, it’s working for us. Whenever I have time, I love making things! I knit, sew, or cross-stitch at any opportunity and I’ve got boxes filled with various crafting materials under the bed. Spending time outdoors is also super important to me – a bit of fresh air always makes me feel refreshed and happy, whether it’s just a casual stroll, a run or even a spot of camping. Before becoming parents, LPD and I used to run quite a lot and have even completed a few marathons together! I once made the colossal mistake of attempting two marathons within a week. NEVER AGAIN. That second marathon was an absolute killer and I think I spent most of the route crying!

What is your biggest achievement to date?
It’s really cliché, but it has to be parenting. In my mind, that’s the biggest achievement any of us can do: raise a child. But aside from that, I’m proud to have graduated from the University of Warwick, I’m proud to have been a 2012 Olympic Torchbearer and I’m proud to have a positive, determined attitude for life!

From your own experiences, what do you find the hardest part of parenting and what is the easiest/most rewarding part?
The hardest part has definitely been finding the new balance and comfortable dynamic of our little family. LPD and I had gotten very used to life as a couple and what our own roles were within that couple but becoming parents has totally rocked that boat! It’s taken us a long time, I think, to get to where we are now. Finally, we seem to have settled into a comfortable rhythm and adjusted to our new roles. Carving out time for us to spend quality time together definitely helped too.

The most rewarding part has got to be seeing the daily changes and developments in Pickle’s behaviour! I’ll never grow tired of his smiling face when he masters something new – he’s always so proud of himself. Hearing his laugh, watching him take in his surroundings and seeing his excitement when LPD comes home from work are the highlights of the day.

Parenting in itself is no mean feat; how do you juggle everything you need to in order to get everything done on a daily basis?
‘Get everything done?’ I’m not sure I’ve mastered that yet! There always seems to be a never-ending washing pile and as soon as I’ve finished vacuuming, it needs doing again. How can one child throw so much food across the floor? And being at home all day means there’s three times more washing up than there ever was before!

I don’t put too much pressure on myself though. My friends and family know I don’t keep a pristine home and I’d much rather spend time enjoying playtime with Pickle than worrying about wiping down the skirting boards. I keep telling myself that one day I’ll be a domesticated goddess, and I’m sure I’ll get there one day, but little baby steps…

Why did you decide to start blogging?
I started blogging as a way to challenge myself, and to figure out if I had the digital skills needed to perhaps pursue a freelance career. I had no idea I’d fall in love with it so much and that it’d become a real learning adventure. I’m so pleased to have invested time in improving my photography because the photos I’ve taken of our little family are so incredibly precious to me.

Tell me a bit about your blog?
My blog is mainly a parenting blog, and I try to focus on three things: culture, crafts and countryside. I used to work in theatre before becoming a parent, and introducing children to the arts is a real passion of mine. Pickle is already a seasoned theatre regular and it’s making me appreciate performance all over again – I’d become quite jaded and bitter during my most recent job!

What do you want your blog to achieve and where do you hope to see it go as it grows?
My ambition is for my blog to become a bit of a hub of information for any West Midlands based parent hoping to inject some culture into their children’s lives. I’d like a page for as many arts venues as possible that details all the bits of information that can make a theatre trip easier to plan, opening up the arts to those that might not necessarily think it’s ‘for them’. As well as documenting these precious parenting adventures and having an online diary to remind myself of the everyday things I’m likely to forget in a few years’ time!

What advice would you give someone who is thinking about starting a blog?
To just do it! To not worry about what it looks like or how many followers you have to begin with, and to just write. Write from the heart and figure out what your style is and just organically grow from there. You don’t need to know everything in day one. Challenge yourself and set yourself goals so that you’re always learning and expanding, but just enjoy the process first, otherwise you’ll burn out.

If you could have dinner with three people (dead or alive), who would it be and why?
Ah, I hate questions like this. I NEVER know. I’d have liked to have met my Mum’s Dad (my Grandad) who died when my Mum was only 16. From the stories my Nan has told me, he sounds like an incredible man and I bet he’d have an anecdote or two to make me laugh! I’m also a bit obsessed with Broadchurch at the moment, and feel like I’d love to just have a sit down with Olivia Coleman and chat…. So she’d be on the guest list too. And for the final guest, would it be weird to say LPD? I know I have dinner with him every day but that’s why it’d be weird to have a special dinner without him there!

Tell me three random facts about you

1. I genuinely used to believe my Dad was superman as a child. I was terrified of people finding out in case they tried to take him away.

2. I have star shaped scars on both of my big toes from when I was a baby. I don’t know why, but I was laid down on paper towels in hospital rather than blankets and I kept wriggling so much that the paper towels would graze my feet. That’s a bit sad really, isn’t it?

By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. *

Who am I?

Hello there. I am Lisa, a mid-thirties mumma to two gorgeous boys, living in Hertfordshire with the other half. I help mums thrive in the juggle of parenting, life & work, by providing support, hints, tips and motivation. Showing them how to be the woman and mum they're meant to be in an overwhelming lifestyle. So if like me you are juggling all the balls, then come and join me on my journey of this crazy life!